


Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons

by Angelfish2603



Category: Holby City
Genre: Berena Advent 2018, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-05 07:57:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 3,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16806577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelfish2603/pseuds/Angelfish2603
Summary: Of course Serena was an expert gift wrapper.





	1. Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Berena Advent 2018. Apologies for any mistakes, completely unedited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 - Gift Wrapping

_Of course Serena was an expert gift wrapper_ , Bernie thought as she spied the perfectly wrapped gifts under the tree, decked out with ribbons and bows. She was good at everything she tried her hand at. It would have been annoying if Bernie hadn't been so madly in love with her.

Bernie sipped her wine, watching people sing loudly at Serena's annual carol party. Serena didn't sing, Bernie had been told, but she did throw the best Christmas party in Holby. Everyone wanted to be on her invite list. Bernie grinned as she watched Serena mingle, charm itself, the perfect hostess. Every once in a while, she spotted Bernie and offered her a gentler version of her electric grin, more intimate and soft, for Bernie only.

"Enjoying yourself?" Ric asked, taking a drink from his own glass, easing himself against the wall next to Bernie, while Raf flexed his fingers, ready at the piano nestled in Serena's sitting room. Elinor had played for years, Serena had told Bernie once, still did when the mood struck her.

"Hmm." Bernie hummed back, content and warm in the house she had started spending so much time in. Ric grinned.

"Serena looks good," He commented, in an offhanded way that made Bernie growl a little in the back of her throat. Serena did look good, wearing a deep red dress that hugged her glorious curves in the best possible way. Serena had been fielding off kisses under the mistletoe all night, except from Bernie.

"Mine." Bernie shot him a look and Ric laughed outright at her, as the first notes of We Wish You a Merry Christmas started.

"Yes, I rather think she is." Ric gestured to where Serena was gathering people at the piano, every so often glancing over her shoulder to shoot appraising glances over Bernie. Serena lifted a single eyebrow and Bernie was no fool. She knew when she was being summoned.

"Into the breach," She breathed, taking a final drink from her glass before depositing it on the nearest table. She crossed to Serena, feeling her face flush when Serena beamed at her, Serena's hands falling to take her own, pulling her into Serena's arms, as the group gathered sang loudly (and mostly in key).

"Happy Christmas, darling," Serena whispered into Bernie's ear as her arms wrapped around her waist.

"Merry Christmas, love," Bernie replied, pressing a kiss to her cheek, her lips.

The carol party went well into the night, people stumbling out of the leafy detached to catch cabs, call ride-shares, or walk haphazardly back to their own homes, drunk and still singing. Bernie closed the front door behind the last of the guests, their arms slung about each other, holding each other up in the dark, cold night. Bernie leaned her back against the door, spotted Serena staring into the sitting room, the lights of the Christmas tree casting multicolored onto her face. Bernie stole up behind her, wrapped her arms around Serena's waist, her chin rest on Serena's shoulders.

"That was fun," Bernie whispered, the master of the understatement. Serena leaned back, hummed deep in her throat. "Ric found a date for the hospital new year's eve party."

"I saw. Tried to warn him that her last three boyfriends ended up in therapy, but he wouldn't listen." Serena chuckled, smiling when Bernie nuzzled her neck. "I'm glad you're here. I like knowing you'll be here when I go to bed, when I wake up."

"I like it too." Bernie pressed a tender kiss to her cheek, then ducked her head, smiling against the smooth, warm skin of Serena's neck. "Serena?"

"Yes?"

"Can you teach me how to wrap presents like that?" She gestured awkwardly to the tree. Serena stiffened slightly in her arms, then laughed a little.

"Worried about the kids' presents, are you?"

"A bit. I am not the best wrapper."

"You definitely aren't," Serena agreed, turning in Bernie's arms to loop her arms around her neck. Their eyes met, and Serena grinned before leaning in for a kiss. A few moments later, they parted and Serena tucked a hand into Bernie's curls. "I'll tell you what. I'll make sure the kids' gifts are properly wrapped, and then you don't have to worry about it."

"No, I really should do it myself. They're my kids."

"Honestly, Bernie, it's fine. I don't mind."

"I'd really like to learn..."

"I don't wrap my own presents," Serena blurted out, stepping back, one hand going to tug at her pendant. Bernie's brow furrowed, the perfectly wrapped gifts just beyond Serena. "I bought the presents, and had the store gift wrap."

"You mean..."

"If I can't have the store gift wrap them, then I just buy gift bags and chuck them in. I hate wrapping paper, and ribbons, and just everything about it. I can never get the corners to line up, and then I get tape stuck everywhere..." Serena trailed off, frowning deeply as Bernie honked with laughter. Loudly. "It's not funny."

"Here I was, thinking you are so perfect, and you can't even gift wrap!" Bernie sank onto the sofa, her shoulders shaking as she laughed. Serena rolled her eyes, started to gather up glasses.

"I really don't think you're in any position to judge my gift wrapping abilities, Ms. Wolfe. Do we not remember the bottle of cheap wine from Kiev?"


	2. Christmas Without You (White Christmas, and I'm blue)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 - Family

Christmas on AAU was never quiet. Wintertime accidents, mishaps with tree lights, outdoor lights, slips on the ice, and inevitably, one or two domestics would find their way into AAU, where the overworked and underappreciated staff would patch them up, and send them on their merry way. Sometimes there would be patients who had to stay longer, missing Christmas with their families. Sometimes, there would be patients who would discharge themselves against physician orders, determined to make it home for the holidays, but many of them never made it past the nurses station until they couldn't go any further, and would be carted back to their beds, gently scolded by nurses and doctors alike.

Christmas on AAU was never quiet, but even as injuries trickled in, as snow fell outside, the nurses and doctors gathered around and handed out presents to those unfortunate enough to have to be with them over the holidays. They sipped non-alcoholic eggnog (the good stuff was hidden in the office, only to be touched after shifts ended), and sang carols to each other. It may not have been perfect, it may not have been conventional, but AAU was a family.

And the first Christmas Serena spent without Bernie, she was grateful for her little AAU family, damaged and a little broken, but still good and still hers.


	3. Joyous voices, sweet and clear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 - Carol singing
> 
> This is totally a snippet from a Berena Christmas story I have been working on (and will desperately try to post before I go on vacation for the holidays). Premise is that Bernie and Serena meet on holiday, and have a holiday fling with one another. I started this before Catherine ruined the whole Serena singing thing.

Dinner turned into more drinks, which turned into them joining a group of people singing karaoke at midnight. Bernie refused to participate, and sat back watching Serena climb gracefully onto the small stage and sing _Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas_ in a rich alto. She had the entire bar eating out of her hand as she crooned the last notes, then took a deep bow amidst applause and catcalls, Bernie's the loudest of them all. 

"That was incredible. Bloody night club act, you are!" Bernie had switched to whiskey sometime in the course of the night, and she raised her glass to Serena's beaming face as Serena picked up her wine glass.

"I wanted to be a singer or a surgeon. My mum made me pick which one would pay the bills." Serena laughed, her fingers curling around her necklace for a moment before she took a drink of her wine. Bernie smiled, leaned on her hand, her elbow on the bar as another person got up to sing. "My daughter, Elinor, she decided that she was going to be an actress. Now she wants to be a journalist. I suppose when both your parents are physicians, you want to get as far away from it as possible." 

"My daughter, Charlotte, she just started uni. Still undecided. Cameron, my son, is in med school now. He dropped out for a bit, decided to go back when dear old mum nearly got blown to bits." Bernie tried to laugh it off, but it got stuck in her throat. Serena shifted closer, her hand warm and comforting on Bernie's thigh. They were quiet for a moment, the mangled warbling of _A Christmas Song_ behind them. Eventually, Bernie looked at Serena, expecting pity, sorrow, maybe anger for what Bernie had put her family, her children through. Instead, she found comfort and trust, a mutual understanding and acceptance that sometimes, even mothers fuck up, even when their kids think they walk on water. 

"I imagine it scared the hell out of him. Your daughter too." Serena said, eventually. 

"Charlotte sat with me while I recovered in the hospital, barely talked at all. Just stared at me like she couldn't believe that I was hurt. She said to me later that me going off to the desert never seemed like a big deal before. It was just my job, had always been my job. But seeing me in the hospital, nearly dead, almost paralyzed, it made her realize that every day I put myself in danger, I put myself in the way of death." Bernie shifted away from Serena, finished the last of her whiskey. Serena watched her for a long moment before shifting her gaze away from Bernie, sitting back on her bar stool. She turned her attention to the next singer, a man who decided that he could totally hit the high notes from Mariah Carey's _All I Want For Christmas Is You_ (he could not). Bernie faced the bar, drawing herself in, her hair falling over her face. Serena pretended to not notice, instead listening to the song, wincing as the man's voice cracked painfully. 

"Goodness." Serena murmured to her wine glass, just loud enough for Bernie to hear. "I hope he hasn't a voice tomorrow. I don't think we could endure another karaoke session with that." 

Next to her, Bernie snorted back a laugh and Serena smiled.


	4. I'm Mrs. Santa Claus, yes I'm married to him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 - Mrs. Claus

"Auntie Serena?" Guin's small voice whispered over the baby monitor that Greta and Jason insisted on still using, in case Guin needed something in the middle of the night. Serena sighed, dropped her head back, waited. Next to her, Bernie snorted back a laugh, burying her face into the pillow, as Guin rambled on about the Christmas film they had watched earlier that evening, wondering how Santa got all the toys to all the children, and what about children who didn't believe in Santa anymore, and what about people who weren't Christians, did they still get toys? She had a friend Hannah at school who got eight nights of presents, wasn't that cool, and why didn't she get eight nights of presents? 

Serena shifted onto her side, stroked Bernie's hair off her face as Guin continued to ramble, never needing someone to come and check on her, but just unable to shut her little mind off. Bernie smiled sleepily at her wife, tucked one hand up under her pajama top to rest on her stomach. 

"Next time, let's turn the monitor off." Bernie whispered into the dark bedroom. Serena grinned. 

"Agreed."

"Where does she come up with this stuff?" Bernie wondered, as Guin seriously discussed Santa Claus, and how could he possibly know every child in the world, and what about grown ups? Did they still get presents from Santa? And if so, why didn't they have to sit on Santa's lap and tell him that they had been good. Not all adults are good, Guin whispered, her words muffled by a yawn. Serena leaned into her wife, nuzzled their noses together as Guin's voice started to slow, as she started to fall back asleep. 

"And Auntie Serena, is Santa married? Like you and Auntie Bernie? Or like Mummy and Dad?" 

The next morning, Serena handed Jason and Greta a copy of an old movie that Elinor had loved called Mrs. Santa Claus, and knelt down to speak to her grand-niece, to explain that Santa Claus was married, like mummy and dad, and his wife just happened to be Angela Lansbury. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this movie exists. It is an old Hallmark Christmas movie and it's one of my favorites. Angela Lansbury plays Mrs. Santa Claus, feels unappreciated, takes Santa's sleigh out for a joyride around the world, and ends up stuck in 1910s New York City.


	5. I want a (puppy) for Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 - Puppy
> 
> I don't even know what happened here.

Growing up, all Cameron and Charlotte wanted for Christmas was a puppy. Each year, they woke up on Christmas morning, hoping and praying that this was the year that Santa decided they had been good enough and would get them a puppy. Each year, they were disappointed. 

Oh, sure, they got lots of presents, great presents. Everything their little hearts could ever want. Except the one thing they really wanted. 

When Cameron was seven, and Charlotte was five, Cam overheard his parents arguing in their bedroom. Mum was home for Christmas for the first time since Cameron was four, and she wanted it to be special. She wanted to get them a puppy for Christmas. Cameron's heart swelled with love for the woman he knew better by phone and letter rather than by face. He didn't know what kind of perfume she wore, or how she liked her tea, but he loved hearing her soft voice telling him stories over the phone, or putting him to bed at night when she was overseas and happened to call at bedtime. Charlotte had shrunk away from her when she arrived home that year, barely knew the woman she was supposed to call Mum. 

Cameron stopped believing in Santa that year. He overheard his mum telling his dad that he and Charlotte had both asked Santa for a puppy, that they wanted a puppy more than anything. Cameron overheard his dad telling his mum that there would never be a puppy until she came home and acted like a part of a family. That someday Cameron and Charlotte would know that asking Santa for anything was pointless because Santa didn't exist. 

On Christmas morning, Charlotte cried when there was still no puppy, and Bernie left on Boxing Day to go back to Afghanistan. 

There never was a puppy on Christmas day for the Dunn children, not until Cameron and Morven's little boy turned four. 


	6. Old St. Nicholas must have known that kiss would lead to all of this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 - Mistletoe

Bernie hated mistletoe. She hated that everyone thought it was so cute to hang it all over AAU. She hated that sprigs of it dotted around the hospital, catching people unawares, and she started walking through the corridors looking up rather than forward. 

But what she hated most of all was that despite her best efforts, she never managed to catch Serena under the mistletoe.

That's not saying that Serena hadn't been under the mistletoe, as she seemed to have received kisses from half the female staff, and almost all of the male staff. Even Hanssen had fallen victim to the mistletoe and Serena had kissed him right on the mouth in front of the senior staff as they headed out of a meeting. Serena, it seemed to Bernie, had snogged most of the hospital staff by the time Christmas Eve rolled around, but not once had she snogged Bernie under the mistletoe. 

Bernie grumbled about it for days, about taking each sprig of mistletoe down and setting fire to them in the peace garden because what was mistletoe anyway except a damn parasite. It was only on Christmas Eve, as they were leaving for the holiday, bundled up against the cold winter night, that Serena grabbed Bernie's hand, and tugged her under the mistletoe hanging over the nurses station. Bernie looked at her, her dark eyes shining in the bright overhead lights, Serena's soft, lovely mouth curved into a gentle smile.

"Happy Christmas, darling," Serena whispered, tugging Bernie in by her coat lapels to press a heated kiss to her lips. Bernie wrapped her hands around Serena's waist, pulled her tighter against her body, sighed into the warm, familiar kiss. 

Maybe mistletoe wasn't so bad after all. 


	7. In all this white, you'll see me like you've never seen me yet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 - waiting.
> 
> I don't even know what happened.

"Serena!" Bernie called out from their bed, shivering slightly as she huddled under the covers. It was late, she was cold and tired, and Serena was taking too long in the bathroom. It had been a long day, filled with presents, food, and family. One of the best Christmases Bernie had ever spent, and while she was grateful for the busyness of the day, she was exhausted. She wanted to go to bed, and had hoped to fall asleep tucked up warm and safe with Serena. 

"Just a moment, love." Serena's voice floated out from the en-suite, a touch amused. "I promise it will be worth the wait." The huskiness in her reply made Bernie sit up a bit straighter, suddenly less tired than she had been. 

"You usually are," Bernie whispered to herself, a thrill edging down her spine at the thought of Serena getting ready for something other than sleep, maybe wearing something skimpy and lacy. Maybe satin. Maybe silk. Bernie tugged her own pajamas off as she contemplated what Serena could be wearing, or not wearing. 

Bernie hadn't ever really thought about lingerie before being with Serena. Knickers and bras were just hidden by clothes, often mismatched, and while she knew Marcus had enjoyed looking at her, she always felt uncomfortable in the lacy, see-through things he picked out for her to wear. Even now, the closest she got to wearing lingerie for Serena was if her bra and pants matched. 

Bernie knew Serena didn't mind, had even commented once that just because she enjoyed wearing lace and satin, straps crisscrossing and one time, a corset that made Bernie stop breathing, she didn't want Bernie to ever be uncomfortable. _Just be yourself_ , she had said, her dark eyes hungry as Bernie's clothes were discarded. Bernie didn't think she'd ever get used to just how much Serena wanted her, just as she was. 

That being said, she did attempt to be a little more sexy. Bernie thought about the soft lace boyshorts she now favored, paired with the lacy bralettes that she discovered online one day while looking for new yoga clothes. She thought about the first time Serena had seen her shimmy into both one morning before work, and how they ended up being late because Serena had pinned her to the floor, unable to wait, and merely tugged the bralette to the side to mouth at her nipples, one hand between Bernie's thighs, making Bernie cry out with pleasure. 

Bernie shivered again, this time not from the cold in the bedroom. The en-suite door swung open, and Bernie's eyes widened, her cheeks flushed red as she gazed at her girlfriend, completing nude except for a ribbon wrapped around her hips, the bow placed neatly over her dark curls. 

"I thought you might like to unwrap me," Serena said, her hands on her hips. Bernie nodded, unable to form words as Serena sauntered to the bed. Bernie held her hands out, grabbing for Serena as she approached with hungry, greedy hands.

Yes, Serena was always worth the wait. 


	8. Snow...Snow...It won't be long before we'll all be there with snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 8 - Snowball fight

Darwin ward started it. That was what everyone on AAU said. Keller agreed - it was all Darwin ward's fault. 

It was supposed to be a nice day, caroling for charity, outside the hospital. But one thing led to another, and before anyone knew what had happened, Jac Naylor had received a snowball to the face. The carol singing stopped immediately, and everyone waited with baited breath while Jac calmly wiped the snow from her face before bending, gathering the snow up and shoving a handful into Fletch's face. 

After that, ward wars began, and soon, the entire group caroling had split up and were flinging snowballs everywhere. Sneaky duo Frieda and Nicky employed a stealth plan, ducking around trees and cars to fire snowballs at unsuspecting victims. Ric had climbed onto a bench, declaring the high ground, and was taken out by a group of porters, Jason leading the charge. Zav and Donna were too busy chasing each other to realize that they had walked into enemy territory, and were captured by Essie, Dom and Lofty. Poor Sacha became Henrik's shield, unable to do anything except laugh as he was repeatedly hit, Henrik ducking behind his bulk. F1s and F2s from all three wards ran scared as the consultants and nurses declared war on each other, most people unable to see as snowballs were flung every which way, and often from out of nowhere. 

And from their hiding place, Bernie was a snowball sniper, hitting people with scary accuracy while Serena turned out to be an expect snowball maker, able to make perfect snowballs in rapid succession. 

To this day, Mikey Fletcher swears that he never threw that first snowball at Jacula. It was totally meant for his dad. 


	9. This Christmas I'll be home with bells on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 9 - Christmas with Adrienne

Perhaps, Serena thought, the hardest thing about finding out she liked women in the same way she liked men was telling Adrienne about Bernie. 

She hadn't ever enjoyed Adrienne meeting people she dated. She still remembered that time Adrienne made the boy she liked cry. She still remembered how Adrienne had sniffed in disapproval at Edward, both times Serena had let him into her life. She found fault with everything Serena enjoyed, but in particular, she found faults with Serena's choice in men. 

They were either too good for her, not good enough, too tall, too short, too fat, too fit, too much or too little. No one was just right, according to Adrienne.

Which was why Serena tried so hard to keep Bernie from meeting Adrienne. Which was why when she was summoned home for Christmas, no excuses, Serena told Bernie that she didn't have to come, that Adrienne didn't know Bernie wasn't short for Bernard, that Serena didn't know how to come out to her mother, that every time Serena tried to tell Adrienne about Bernie, it just stuck in Serena's throat because no one was ever good enough, not even Serena. 

Of course, Bernie didn't listen. 

So, there they were, standing on Adrienne's doorstep, hand in hand, Serena trembling nervously while Bernie rang the bell. The door swung open, and for the first time in her life, Serena found her mother speechless as she hastily introduced Bernie.

"Happy Christmas, Mum. This is Bernie, my partner." 

Bernie, god love her, merely smiled at Adrienne, before leaning in to kiss her cheek gently.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. McKinnie. Serena has told me so much about you. I'm so glad we're finally meeting." 

A few moments later, after Adrienne had recovered and let them in the house, Serena was speechless when she met her half-sister and nephew for the first time. 

Apparently, the McKinnies were really good secret keepers, 


End file.
